Just got back from Loveland, Co. and had a great show.  I am now working with Ellen Munnich ( longarm quilt designer), we are sewing out designs to “color” with the inktense Permanent watercolor pencils.  Still working on the samples.  The site should be up in about 6 weeks.  It will be Creativetextilezone.com.  I’ll let you know when it gets up.

I also am developing iron-on transfers of designs for  you to color and working on quilt samples, so you can see how they look.

I’ll be in Chantilly, Va at the end of September at the Dulles Expo Center, then on to Atlanta and then Houston.

I’m dying fabric, using the Setacolor dyes, as long as the sun is still shining and I’m bringing some of them to the shows to sell.  My friend Desi Vaughn is a fabric dyer and I will also have some of her fabrics to sell. 

Well another sunny day here in Michigan-better make hay while the sun shines (or dye fabric while the sun shines) 

It was ONE WET SHOW.  The flood gates were closed up and the Convention Center was on the wrong side.  All of the vendors and the quilts had to move.  The Quilts were moved to the “Bubble” dome and the vendors moved to  closed Circuit city and Office Max buildings.  That was all done over the weekend before the show.  AQS really made it happen.  They even changed the bus routes, so everyone could get around. 

Moda developed a quilt collection of fabrics celebrating the anniversary of the Quilt Museum-Dogwood-of course.  I had to have some and found it on my trip to Hancocks.  (I’m trying to  cut back on fabric purchases, but I couldn’t resist)

I’ve been working on some more Watercolor quilts and having alot of fun playing with white on white fabric.  The Watercolor doesn’t color the design (it stays white), but it colors all around it.

For those of you who came to the show, you saw the larger white quilt Vicki Bonhoff quilted for me.  I’m in the process of coloring it.  Somehow, it’s taking longer then I thought.  Next week we are leaving for the Machine Quilter’s Showcase in Overland Park, Kansas.  I was hoping to have it farther along.  It’s approximately 36 x 36 all white with feathered hearts around the outside and 4 feathered hearts in the middle. There are 4 different colors in each heart.  When it gets wet, the hearts are going to just explode with color-I can’t wait.

Well off to my transplanting.  It’s in the 50′s today-too early to plant, so I’m potting up stuff so they won’t get rootbound.  My son is getting married the weekend after the MQS show, so nothing is going to get in the ground for a couple of weeks.

Anyway, as promised I have a list of products I am trying to sell down.  Most are 25% off or more.

Here’s how it works:  first come first served.  Everyone will receive an e-mail at the same time.  E-mail me back, if there is anything you want.  Sally_richards@charter.net  (remember first come first served) this is how I can keep track.

Leave me your name, address, telephone and items you would like.  I accept Visa, Master Card and Discover.  I will call  you back and let you know what I have left and get your credit card number from you then.   I also have paypal, if you want to use that.

So here we go:

 Shipping will have to be a minimum of $ 4.95 for flat rate.  If you have many bottles of paint, etc.  I will figure out the shipping before I  call.

I will be adding more Stewart Gill Paints.  I have some Galactica (glitter paint that doesn’t shed or wash off) and some block printing supplies and Batik stuff.  

My plan is to ship before Dec 12, as we are leaving town and I REALLY don’t want to carry this stuff for 1 week of travel.  So get your orders in early .

Good Luck

Sally

The whole quilt is white on white and I’m having a great time blending colors in the feathered areas with the Inktense Permanent Pencils.  I also just finished a smaller wall hanging 16″ that was all feathers, colored in with 4 different colors and used Sulky varigated thread for the quiting around it. The four colors I chose, were the colors of the varigated thread.  I’ll send pictures from the show.

I hope I’ll see some of you there.

Hope to see you there. Nov. 18-20, 2010. (the weekend before Thanksgiving)

sally_richards@charter.net

Anyway I met alot of people while I introduced the new Inktense pencils.  I sold out in Chicago and had to place a next-day order for Paducah, which I sold out of in two days.

If you haven’t used these pencils, they are great.  You just color in your motif (dry) and use the waterbrush to wet it.  When it is dry, it is set.  No heat setting, just let it dry. 

I had some samples showing what happens when you draw over the dried watercolor.  No washing out of watercolor below!!!!

Also at the shows, I had Setacolor, which I am now carrying.  I am doing a batik process using the Elmer’s washable glue, as the resist.  Interweave asked me to consider writing a book on the process.  Hmmm.

I will be at the Longarm show in Kansas City in May and NQA show in June.  I will have a large supply of the Inktense there, for those that didn’t get a chance to buy them.

Now that I am getting closer to paying off my loan to the bank for all of my stuff, I’m getting closer to my new career as a professional Art Quilt maker.

I have joined SAQA and will submit 6 quilts for consideration.  If I’m approved, I will be a professional quilter and will work on making quilts for Galleries, teaching and writing books.  (See teaching opportunities)

Brad (my husband) is retired, and wants to play golf.  I want to quilt.  After 15 years on the quilt show circuit, it’s time to move on.  I have a few more shows to do, to pay off credit card debt and then I’m on to my new career.

If anyone knows of galleries that accept textile art, please let me know.  I’m trying to compile a list.

I be in Chicago in April, after our drive back from sunny San Clemente.  We’ve been here for 3 months and are ready to travel back to Michigan.  The snow should be gone by now.

We’ll also be in Paducah, right after Chicago.  We will be in the Finkel building again this year.  It is on Kentucky and 3rd St. (downtown)  Don’t forget to come, because this is where AQS sells all of it’s overruns and discontinued books.  They are in the back of the building, and 20 or so vendors are in the front.  There is also a very good bakery/deli just down the street.

You can take the trolley that leaves from the hotel to the Finkel buiding, and it continues to Hancocks and the Kiwanis’ quilt show.

There is a new pavillion at Paducah, since they are only using the conference rooms at the hotel this year.  The pavillion is a big blown up quanset hut, with booths inside.  I think it is in the parking lot of the hotel.  Check AQS’ site out, for more information. (and pictures)

I’m just adding Lutradur to the site.  If you are interested, I have 70# and 100# by the yard.  E-mail me for costs and availability.  Sally_richards@charter.net .  I won’t be able to ship until Thursday of this week.  March 26th I think.